Published: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 4:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 4:31 p.m.

LAUREL - At the Royal Coachman RV Resort, tennis-playing snowbirds celebrated the end of tourist season with a silly triples tournament.

Just for fun, six players at a time crowded onto the court to hit soft practice balls. They lost points for things like talking too much and hitting too hard.

Referee Len DeCoste kept the score close with creative calls. The highlight of Wednesday's tournament came when he singled out Arvid Vaaten.

“Too much hair,” DeCoste shouted — only to be upstaged by Vaaten, who snatched off his toupee and finished the game with a bald head under his visor.

Many snowbirds will flock north in the next few weeks, but the 67-year-old Vaaten says he'll stay until May.

“There's no reason,” he joked, “to be in Wisconsin in April.”

Weather-watching

Easter came early this year, which left thousands of Gulf Coast retirees wondering when to return north.

Some wait for grandchildren to visit on spring break. Some look forward to April events such as the Sarasota Film Festival. And some watch the weather — they're called snowbirds for a reason.

“We keep calling,” said Sue Terry, a visitor from Vermont. “And they keep telling us that it's still snowing. We live on a mountain with a dirt road, so we have a fifth season called mud season.”

At Royal Coachman, where residents live in recreational vehicles and manufactured homes, active retirees savor the warm spring weather. The Dona Bay resort looks like a wooded sports camp, with residents riding bicycles and carrying foam noodles to water aerobics classes.

Billboards on the park exit to Laurel Road encourage residents to keep playing golf and going to the beach.

A Canadian flag flies beside the American one at Royal Coachman. Many residents travel south from the province of Ontario.

Peggy Hebden, 57, was the general manager of a television station in Wasaga Beach on Georgian Bay. Last year, she decided to retire.

“I spent the last five years laying off half my staff,” she said. “Finally, I said, ‘This isn't fun.' ”

Now Hebden lives on a houseboat in the summer and at the RV resort in winter. She has the tan of someone who enjoys the outdoor life. She joined the Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club and rides the nearby Legacy Trail several times a week.

It's easy to take an active lifestyle for granted.

“When you're riding on the trail, you see all of these really fit guys,” Hebden said, laughing. “Then they take off their helmets and they all have white hair.”

'Too much Heineken'

At the Wednesday triples tournament, more than 50 players gathered for a last round of tennis and camaraderie.

Players razzed the referee. The referee penalized the players. Spectators kept up a running commentary on missed balls and wild shots.

“Watch the ball.”

“He's watching his beer.”

“Too much power.”

“Too much Heineken.”

Vaaten, the toupeed player from Wisconsin, enjoyed his time on the court. His retirement revolves around three activities.

“Tennis, tennis and tennis,” Vaaten said. “And I float in the pool on a regular basis.”

After the tournament, residents went home to shower and then returned for a potluck picnic, fish fry and burger barbecue. People lined up at a long table of chips and dips, potato salad and side dishes, cookies and desserts.

Don Morency grilled the burgers. He's from Old Orchard Beach, Maine, where the bitter cold lasts long into the year. He will stay at Royal Coachman until mid-May, well after most residents have gone.

Darrell Robinson, president of the Royal Coachman tennis club, said he and his wife will spend a few days cleaning house and packing up bicycles and patio furniture. They'll go out to dinner with Florida friends they won't be seeing for a while.

It's all part of a routine the Indiana couple have followed for more than a decade.

“We always come on the 15th of October and leave on the 15th of April,” Robinson said. “We leave at about 4:30 in the morning, so we can beat the traffic in Tampa. I stop in Nashville at about 6 p.m. at this Hampton Inn where we always stay. And then we've got about six hours to drive the next day.”

<p><em>LAUREL</em> - At the Royal Coachman RV Resort, tennis-playing snowbirds celebrated the end of tourist season with a silly triples tournament. </p><p>Just for fun, six players at a time crowded onto the court to hit soft practice balls. They lost points for things like talking too much and hitting too hard.</p><p>Referee Len DeCoste kept the score close with creative calls. The highlight of Wednesday's tournament came when he singled out Arvid Vaaten.</p><p>“Too much hair,” DeCoste shouted — only to be upstaged by Vaaten, who snatched off his toupee and finished the game with a bald head under his visor.</p><p>Many snowbirds will flock north in the next few weeks, but the 67-year-old Vaaten says he'll stay until May.</p><p>“There's no reason,” he joked, “to be in Wisconsin in April.”</p><p><b>Weather-watching</b></p><p>Easter came early this year, which left thousands of Gulf Coast retirees wondering when to return north. </p><p>Some wait for grandchildren to visit on spring break. Some look forward to April events such as the Sarasota Film Festival. And some watch the weather — they're called snowbirds for a reason.</p><p>“We keep calling,” said Sue Terry, a visitor from Vermont. “And they keep telling us that it's still snowing. We live on a mountain with a dirt road, so we have a fifth season called mud season.”</p><p>At Royal Coachman, where residents live in recreational vehicles and manufactured homes, active retirees savor the warm spring weather. The Dona Bay resort looks like a wooded sports camp, with residents riding bicycles and carrying foam noodles to water aerobics classes.</p><p>Billboards on the park exit to Laurel Road encourage residents to keep playing golf and going to the beach.</p><p>“Stay A Little Longer,” the signs say. “Ask About Our Extension Rates.”</p><p><b>O, Canadians</b></p><p>A Canadian flag flies beside the American one at Royal Coachman. Many residents travel south from the province of Ontario. </p><p>Peggy Hebden, 57, was the general manager of a television station in Wasaga Beach on Georgian Bay. Last year, she decided to retire.</p><p>“I spent the last five years laying off half my staff,” she said. “Finally, I said, 'This isn't fun.' ”</p><p>Now Hebden lives on a houseboat in the summer and at the RV resort in winter. She has the tan of someone who enjoys the outdoor life. She joined the Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club and rides the nearby Legacy Trail several times a week.</p><p>It's easy to take an active lifestyle for granted.</p><p>“When you're riding on the trail, you see all of these really fit guys,” Hebden said, laughing. “Then they take off their helmets and they all have white hair.”</p><p><b>'Too much Heineken'</b></p><p>At the Wednesday triples tournament, more than 50 players gathered for a last round of tennis and camaraderie. </p><p>Players razzed the referee. The referee penalized the players. Spectators kept up a running commentary on missed balls and wild shots.</p><p>“Watch the ball.”</p><p>“He's watching his beer.”</p><p>“Too much power.”</p><p>“Too much Heineken.”</p><p>Vaaten, the toupeed player from Wisconsin, enjoyed his time on the court. His retirement revolves around three activities.</p><p>“Tennis, tennis and tennis,” Vaaten said. “And I float in the pool on a regular basis.”</p><p>After the tournament, residents went home to shower and then returned for a potluck picnic, fish fry and burger barbecue. People lined up at a long table of chips and dips, potato salad and side dishes, cookies and desserts.</p><p>Don Morency grilled the burgers. He's from Old Orchard Beach, Maine, where the bitter cold lasts long into the year. He will stay at Royal Coachman until mid-May, well after most residents have gone.</p><p>“It's very quiet,” Morency said. “But we're so busy, we're going to enjoy it.”</p><p><b>Following a routine</b></p><p>Darrell Robinson, president of the Royal Coachman tennis club, said he and his wife will spend a few days cleaning house and packing up bicycles and patio furniture. They'll go out to dinner with Florida friends they won't be seeing for a while. </p><p>It's all part of a routine the Indiana couple have followed for more than a decade.</p><p>“We always come on the 15th of October and leave on the 15th of April,” Robinson said. “We leave at about 4:30 in the morning, so we can beat the traffic in Tampa. I stop in Nashville at about 6 p.m. at this Hampton Inn where we always stay. And then we've got about six hours to drive the next day.”</p>